Tire-pump.



The upper end of the regulator piston body 33 is provided with ahexagon nut by me of which it may be screwed up or down in the regulator chamber 31. An opening 3l is provided inside the regulator piston body and a regulator piston fits tightly therein, being forced downwardly by a spring 3G. This regulator piston is provided with a needle valve 37 which closes an opening 3S which provides connnnnication between the regulator chamber 31 and the'outer air. The outer surface ol' the regulator piston body 33 is calibrated with the pressure at which the piston releases.

The metal pipe 29 is preferably of soft, flexible copper (Gif small diameter and terminates in a member 39 which is adapted to be secured to a valve body 40 of the tire to be regulated by means o't' a clamping nut ll. The member 39 is provided with a bridging member l2 which is adapted to lextend into the valve'bod y 40 and to engage a valve stem Vet?) of the tire.

and turns the starwheel 8 as the wheel revolves. 1

' The method of operation of my invention is as follows :#The pump beinesecured to the spoke -lft of the wheel l5 by means otf the bolts 4G, the star wheel projects and is engaged and turned by the pin-i8 as the wheel revolves. This movement of the star wheel 8 actuates the worm 7 through the shaft (S, and the worm 7 rotates the worm gear 9. The worm gear 9 actuates the piston 1l through the connecting rod l2, reciprocating this piston slowly asthe wheel l5 turns. Starting with the position shown in Fig. Il, the pistony l-L irst 'moves upwardly. This movement tends to cause a vacuum in the space below the piston, as. the valve Q-L tightly.closes thc opening 23. The external pressure of the atmosphere acting upon the Valve 19 `forces this valve from its seat against the pressure of the spring Q2. and air is drawn into the space below the piston ll; during this `lpstroke. AS soon as the piston 14. starts downwardly, the valve Ili) is forced against its seat by the action ot' the spring Q2 and air is compressed below.

the piston 14.-. The pressure of this compressed air acts against the valve 24 and tends to raise 1t from its seat,4 thereby increasing lthe pressure of the air in the tire and in the regulator chamber 31. It will .be i

noted that the valve in the valve-stem .40 has been rendered inoperative by the projectlon 42, pressing down upon the valve stem 43 so that the interior of the tire is in open communieation through the pipe '29 with the regy ulator chamber 3l andwith the chamber 27. The pump moves relatively slowly and is of small lcapacity so that the increase in pressure is very slow. llvhen, however, the pres sure reaches a pre-deternnned value, it acts upon the piston 35, forcing 1t upwardly 'against the action of the spring 36 and accomplished. 1t is desirable to be able to.

adjust the pressures carried o n the tire, arid this 1s done by screwing the regulator piston diminishing the pressure of the spring 36.

The principal object of the gearing illus# trated is to provide a relatively slow piston speed in the pump. It is partly for this purpose that the worm gear 9 is used and 4partly to allow of intermittent actuation of thepiston ll with proper locking of this piston when it is at rest. This well' known property ot' worm gearing is o't' very considerable value in this connection. strikes the star wheel S and actuates it air is compressed under the piston. This air is elastic and tends to force the piston back to lits original position. This is prevented'by -eases l .prefer to disconnect the pipe 29 from the valve stem 40 and to pump up the tire by the ordinary means, the ordinary valve of the tire holding the pressl'u-e as it is put in. My invention will thereafter supply suflieient air t0 maintain this pressure con stant. l,Should more air be desired, the needle valve will lilt and relieve any exces sive pressure due tov any heating olf' the air within the tire. i

I claim as my invention:

l. A pump for a pneumatic tire compris ing a body member, a pistonr sliding in an opening in said body member, a gear inl said body member, a crank pin on said gear, a.A

-body member, a crank pin on said gear, a'

connecting rod pivoted on said 'crank pin andl on sald piston, a worm engaging said gear and supported in said body member,

As the pin 48 y so body 33 1n or out, thereby mcreasmg or and a star wheel rigidly secured to said worm and so placed that it engages a stationary pin as the Wheel turns.

3'. A-pump for a pneumatic tire comprising a body, means for attaching the bod;r to the Wheel on which the tire is mounted, air compressing means in said body, operating mechanism forisaid air compressing means, a star Wheel, means for causing said star wheelto aotuate said operating mechanism, and turning'means for engaging and turning said star wheel, said turning means being secured to the vehicle which employs the Wheel.

ln testimony whereof, I have hereunto set 15 my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 4th day of October, 1913.

HARRY C. HANSON. 

